The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that states must focus on long term economic model for the betterment of the people and must not settle for short-term populist measures.
Addressing the gathering after presenting India Today State of State Awards 2018, here today, he said that the relationship between the states and the centre must be built on trust, transparency and mutual respect.
Naidu said both parties should practice openness and should not be limited by narrow political divisiveness. He further said that there is an agenda greater than politics before all of us, the agenda of taking development to the last man, the goal of ensuring Antyodaya. Federals should not end at door steps of State capitals, they must reach to villages, he added.
The Vice President said that political differences must end with the elections and there after the ruling party must not be bogged down by dilatory tactics and the opposition parties must be given the space to offer constructive criticism in the legislature. He further said that a measure of accommodative openness must be practiced by both the centre and the states if we were to build a strong team India where every voice has its own space.
Saying that federalism, cultural & ethnic pluralism gave country's political system the much needed agility, the Vice President said that continuation of the same requires not simply federalism, but cooperative and constructive federalism. He further said that cooperative federalism has been India’s mantra for centre-state unity, cohesion and harmony and there was every need to continue what the unifier of India, Sardar Patel had said. The spirit of cooperative federalism inspired Sardar Vallabhai Patel's intelligent and proactive political manoeuvring by which he successfully persuaded the 492 princely states to join the Indian Union, all the while successfully maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation, he added.
Naidu said that only decentralization of decision making and devolution of resources to states and local self governments would pave the way to fulfil the development needs of India. He said that it was heartening to note that the government recognized the need to empower states and created the NITI Aayog by a resolution of the Union Cabinet on 1st January 2015 to provide the quintessential platform of the Government of India to bring States to act together in national interest, and thereby fosters Cooperative Federalism. As a think tank it has been providing developmental strategies, frameworks, innovations and new ideas to states so that they can set their own priorities and goals and chart their own paths to achieve these goals, he added.
The Vice President said that development is a collective process and several factors determine the pace of it. Development also does not always make noise and often does not find space in front pages and prime times, he said.
He stressed the importance of building a ‘Team India’, a resurgent India, a strong India where the states work seamlessly, in harmony, complementing and compensating each other, even while competing with each other. Constructive consensus is the need of the and not disruptive confrontation, he added.
The Vice President has released a special edition of India Today on ‘India's Best States’ on this occasion. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the Chief Minister of Puducherry, V. Narayanasamy, the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, several Ministers from different States and other dignitaries were among the Awardees.
Following is the text of Vice President’s address:
I am indeed delighted to be with such a group of distinguished persons who have an enduring interest in the unravelling growth story of the States of our country. I offer my heartiest congratulations to all the ‘State of the states’ award winners. The summation of your collective commitment to growth and development is what is driving India forward. India’s growth story is an anthology of the growth stories of its states.
I congratulate India Today Group for doing this survey year after year, promoting a healthy competition among our states. This is not only an acknowledgement but also celebration of the social and economic development across the country. The Media often hold the politicians and bureaucrats accountable for the things that go wrong. Let us take this time to appreciate the countless things that they do right and their contributions towards development and public welfare.
India is progressing at a very fast pace and at the centre of this growth story are the states. It has almost become a cliché to say that the real drivers of growth in India are the states. In all the states which have emerged winners tonight, the agenda of development has formed the fulcrum of political and administrative philosophy.
The Chief Ministers of the states, their able colleagues and faceless bureaucrats who have worked as catalysts in channelizing the efforts of all stakeholders towards achieving inclusive and sustainable development deserve to be applauded.
Sixteen years ago, when India Today recognized the increasing role of states in India’s transformation and started this ambitious task of measuring the pace of their growth, the emphasis was still on a centralized planning for the entire country. The states were provided with a road map that they had to follow.
Today, the states can determine their own destiny. The Centre-state relationship has moved from that of a donor and receiver. Competitive federalism and cooperative federalism have become integral parts of our political lexicon.
According to Granville Austin, the Constitution of India was perhaps the first constituent body to embrace, from the start what was called cooperative federalism. Chief Justice Beg called the Constitution 'amphibian', in the sense that it can move either on the federal or on the unitary plane, according to the needs of the situation and circumstances of a case. Federalism and cultural and ethnic pluralism have given the country's political system the much needed agility. However, continuation of the same requires not simply federalism, but cooperative and constructive federalism.
The spirit of cooperative federalism inspired Sardar Vallabhai Patel's intelligent and proactive political manoeuvring by which he successfully persuaded the 492 princely states to join the Indian Union, all the while successfully maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation. Since then, cooperative federalism has been India’s mantra for centre-state unity, cohesion and harmony.
Friends, I believe that we live in the times of pragmatic federalism. Our country is a complex one. Its vast size, the variability in its geographical features, thousands of languages, the overwhelming variety and diversity that exists in culture, traditions and ways of life make Indian a great developmental challenge.
This is the reason why ‘Delhi dictated’ dole outs fail to work after a point in time. Decentralization of decision making and devolution of resources to states and local self governments is the only way out to fulfil the development needs of India. The same logic inspired the formalization of the Panchayati Raj system in 1992.
It is heartening to note that the government too has recognized the need to empower our states. The disbanding of the Planning Commission and the creation of the NITI Aayog by a resolution of the Union Cabinet on 1stJanuary 2015 was a right step in this direction. NITI Aayog acts as the quintessential platform of the Government of India to bring States to act together in national interest, and thereby fosters Cooperative Federalism.
It performs the role of a ‘friend, philosopher and guide’ to the states in their quest for growth and development. It serves as a think tank and toils to provide developmental strategies, frameworks, innovations and new ideas to states so that they can set their own priorities and goals and chart their own paths to achieve these goals.
Development is a collective process and several factors determine the pace of it. Development also does not always make noise and often does not find space in front pages and prime times.
Take organic agriculture, for instance. India has around 30 per cent of the world’s organic farmers—the highest in the world. Yet, we fail to tell the story of these farmers. If we must debate and find solutions to bring an end to farmers’ distress farmers, we must popularize such success stories which has the potential to inspire millions of farmers across the country.
Recently, Sikkim just beat entries from more than 50 countries, including agricultural innovation hubs such as Denmark, to win a major United Nations award for its status as an organic food-only destination. The national media must tell this incredible story of Sikkim’s success to the rest of the country so that many more such stories are written in every corner of India.
India’s development story has some worrying trends too, specially the socio-economic disparity among the states. Five states in India—Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka—account for more than 45 per cent of the country’s GDP. In 1960, the top three states were 1.7 times richer than the bottom three. By 2014, this gap had almost doubled, with the top three States being three times richer than the bottom three.
In the past couple of decades, the main drivers of growth have also been the west and south. Of course the national Capital is an exception. According to 1911 Census, eight of India’s 20 largest cities—Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Allahabad, Patna, Bareilly and Meerut—were from India’s northern region. And Bangalore was a small town then. Today, Indian cities account for nearly 65 per cent of the country’s GDP but most of the major growth cant

The Governor of Tripura Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki inaugurated the 7thInternational Tourism Mart for the North-East States in the presence of Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism K.J Alphons and the Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb in Agartala, Tripura this evening. Minister for Tourism of Tripura Pranjit Singha Roy, Secretary, M/o Tourism Rashmi Verma, Director General (Tourism) Satyajeet Rajan and other dignitaries from Central Ministries and North Eastern States were present. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has organized the Mart in association with the Department of Tourism, Government of Tripura and the North Eastern States.
Delivering inaugural address, Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki dwelt upon many new initiatives taken by the government of India for the promotion of tourism in recent years. He said that development of the tourism sector helps in generating meaningful employment and means of income generation for a large number of people, especially the youth of the state.
While Biplab Kumar Deb in his speech said that the state government of Tripura has outlined a vision of transforming the state into a model state in the span of next three years. He added that robust development of tourism sector is one of the most significant components towards the development of the state. He also said that with the support from the Union ministry of Tourism, the state government is taking strides for holistic development of the Tourism sector.
In his address, K J Alphons emphasised on the overall promotion of tourism in the North eastern states and said that the government of India has started many new programmes and schemes for the development of tourism in north eastern states. The Tourism sector has reached a new height during last 4 years.
Rashmi Verma in her opening remarks said that the varied topography of the North East region, with its rich heritage make it an attractive tourist destination and hoped that the deliberations of the Mart will serve its purpose in the promotion of tourism in NE States. She lauded the State of Tripura for having the largest number of tourists in NE region last year.
A total of 53 foreign delegates from 18 countries namely Australia, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, UAE and USA are participating in the Mart. These include Tour Operators & Travel Agents and Media Representatives, Journalists, Travel Writers and Bloggers. Besides the foreign delegates, 26 domestic Tour Operators from other parts of the country and 78 sellers from the North Eastern States are also participating in the Mart. Representatives of State Tourism Departments of the North East States are also present to showcase their tourism destinations and to interact with the delegates. They are engaged in Business-to-Business meetings with sellers from the North Eastern Region. This will enable the tourism product suppliers from the region to reach out to international and domestic buyers, with the objective of promoting tourism to the region.
Post-mart familiarisation tours to the North Eastern states have been arranged for the international delegates to create awareness about the rich and varied tourism products of the North Eastern region and to give them a first-hand experience of the destination. An exhibition by State Tourism Departments from the North Eastern States including display of beautiful handicrafts and handlooms has been organized to show case the tourism products of respective participating States.
This is the 7th edition of the International Tourism Mart, an annual event organised in the North Eastern region with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. It brings together the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North Eastern States. The event has been planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, Government agencies and other stakeholders.
The International Tourism Marts are organised every tear in the North Eastern States on rotation basis. The earlier editions of this mart had been held in Guwahati, Tawang, Shillong, Gangtok and Imphal.
The North East Region of India comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim is endowed with diverse tourist attractions and products. The varied topography of the region, its flora and fauna, the ethnic communities with their rich heritage of ancient traditions and lifestyles, its festivals, arts and crafts, make it a holiday destination waiting to be explored.

I am delighted to be visiting Paramatta. It is an honor for me to unveil the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, our Father of the Nation in these beautiful surroundings. I thank you for honouring him in your country. And I thank Prime Minister Morrison for his august presence here.
This initiative has a very special meaning. To help spread his legacy and timeless message across the world, the Government of India had, just a month ago, launched a two-year long series of events on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary year. I warmly invite all of you to join us in these celebrations.
Mahatma Gandhi belongs not just to India, but to the entire world. His universal teachings have a special resonance in all corners. In these times of strife, his powerful message of nonviolence and peaceful coexistence stands all the more relevant. His favourite bhajan or song Vaishnava Jan To Tene Kahiye the essence of which is compassion, kindness and goodness for others, for once and for always, without letting pride enter one’s mind. This captures the inner voice of the Mahatma. I thank your melodious singer Heather Lee for giving her voice to the song as a tribute to our Father of the Nation. Many others, across the five continents, have also paid a similar tribute to his thought and legacy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas and values resonate, deeply and powerfully, in this land. There is a special connect between Gandhian thought and the Australian way of life. Mahatma Gandhi always championed the cause of environment and nature. His idea of compassion and kindness extended beyond the human pale around him. He had deep respect for forests, rivers and our habitat. These are values that you passionately own, share and keep close to your hearts in your daily lives.
On another note, Gandhiji and the Australian society strike a common cord. He, as you do, had the deepest regard and respect for multicultural ethos. He said and I quote – I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. –unquote. As a country which is home to people from every part of the world, Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy could not be more relevant to its values and ethos.
The statue to be unveiled today on the initiative of Paramatta City Council also symbolizes the historic bond that ties our nations together. As the world’s largest democracy and as a country that celebrates its diversity and openness, we take immense pride in our relations with Australia. The vibrant link at the people-to-people level adds vigor and vitality to this relationship.
Going forward, I am optimistic that our two countries, which share so much in common, can achieve so much more together. On this special occasion, I am especially gratified by the presence of a large number of Indian diaspora members. They serve as a living bridge between their new home and the land of their ancestors. Gandhiji himself was a pravasi or an expatriate. He lived in South Africa for 21 years before he returned to India and went on to change the course of our history.
I am happy to note the tremendous contribution made by hundreds of thousands of qualified, hardworking, diligent and enterprising Indian Diaspora members in the nation making of this beautiful country. I convey to them and to all Australians good wishes and love from the people of India.
May we all resolve today to draw inspiration from the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and work for the lasting benefit of humanity? I once again thank the Lord Mayor for making this event a success and all those who have contributed to this wonderful initiative.
Thank you

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has greeted the nation on the auspicious occasion of Milad-Un-Nabi.
Greetings on Milad-Un-Nabi. We remember the noble teachings of the venerable Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and pray that there is harmony, brotherhood and peace all around, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has condoled the loss of lives due to the bus accident in Cuttack, Odisha.
Condolences to those who lost their loved ones due to the bus accident in Cuttack, Odisha.
May the injured recover at the earliest, the Prime Minister said.

23/11/18

Text of PM’s address at the foundation stone laying of City Gas Distribution (CGD) projects under 9th CGD Bidding Round at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

23/11/18

Do not settle for short-term populist measures; focus on long term economic model: Vice President tells States